Skip to content

The Supreme Court: It’s all about the politics

Political Theater, Episode 208

Supreme Court justices pose for a group photo in Washington in April. Seated from left: Justices Samuel A. Alito and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. Standing from left: Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett.
Supreme Court justices pose for a group photo in Washington in April. Seated from left: Justices Samuel A. Alito and Clarence Thomas, Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr., and Justices Stephen G. Breyer and Sonia Sotomayor. Standing from left: Justices Brett M. Kavanaugh, Elena Kagan, Neil M. Gorsuch and Amy Coney Barrett. (Erin Schaff/The New York Times/Pool file photo)

Supreme Court justices like to portray themselves as legal actors, not political ones, but the high court has never been able to stay out of the public arena. That was certainly the case for the term that just ended, and it is certainly the case for the term to come.

CQ Roll Call senior writer Todd Ruger joins us on the Political Theater podcast to discuss the court’s recent decisions, its upcoming ones and the effect that Congress and the president have on the institution.

Show Notes:

Recent Stories

The great Democratic divide elects Trump twice

Rep. Bishop picked for No. 2 slot in Trump OMB after statewide loss

Senate Democrats air concerns about Trump mass deportation plan

McConnell suffers minor injuries in fall

Don’t count out Roy Cooper in 2026

DOJ watchdog review sparks change to policy on lawmaker records